Exopolysaccharides in Fermented Foods and Their Potential Health Benefits

Since ancient times, fermentation has been employed in food preparation all over the world. Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) in fermented food products h ave gained wide attention among functional food consumers due to their potential in improving texture, flavour and rheology. The fermented products reported to harbour EPSs-producing organisms include dairy products, bakery products and cereal-based beverages, vegetables and meat products. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from several fermented foods have been reported in the production of EPSs, which are recognised to have several health benefits, such as antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering, prebiotic, antitumor and immunomodulatory properties. These health benefits make EPSsenriched fermented foods as an important functional food for the future. This chapter provides an overview of EPSs-rich fermented foods and their health benefits.